First Bike, 81' XJ550 Seca

Beautiful! Thanks zombie!

Now, as for that part that's missing... as I was doing my visual inspection before full tear down (something I hope is essential), I noticed that it wasn't flat spade connectors under the seat, it was the connector (on the bottom center part below the fuse box on fitz' pictures. It looks like it's the bottom part of the pins from the connector, and the rest of the plug and other wires were removed from the equation, or are somewhere else on the bike pulled out/down.

So the question is... what are these connectors supposed to be plugged into, when they're plugged into the connector properly? (which is right below the AHA in fitz's pics)

I also found out that it's a 1982 not a 1981. It was possibly white, but somebody painted it retarded orange. So there is that work that needs to be done, but it's been stripped of all the plastics today. Can't wait to get to the hard parts!

 

I recently bought a '93 XJ600 Seca II. The front end was rebuilt because the previous owner had layed it down, therefore i have no tacometer. (This is my first bike, i'm not very experienced, so any help will be greatly appreciated!) When i ride the bike the throttle works great until i pull back hard on it. When i do this the RPM's soar, but there is little if not any output in the speed. If i stand corrected, i feel like the bike should speed up a lot, but it doesn't and i have to let off the throttle a little.

Any help will be greatly appreciated! (new to the site!)
Thanks!

 

Hey ammoeller!

Congratulations on your purchase of your 93 xj600!

I would suggest starting your own thread so that we don't confuse the troubleshooting steps on my bike for the ones on your bike.

It could be clutch related, if you're breaking free of the clutches weight capacity it would just sit and spin... if my thinking right. Does it do this in every gear?

However, I just got started and am having fun trying to open the flippin' trunk, so I might not be the right person to ask!

 

Verdict on the YICS Eliminator? Seems like it's the only thing I can get nowadays...

Scratch that... Seems i've gotten some email activity. Tool might be the best way!

I read about RickCo's dowel and Tshirt Idea. What's best if I'm really going hard at this thing?

 

The connector you are asking about goes to the fuel tank sending unit. The 82 550 Seca is red on US models. The 81 was white and the 83 was black. I don't know if it is the same on Canadian models.

 

The color schemes were the same for the Canadian bikes.

The manufacture date is on the label on the left side of the steering neck; however that doesn't really tell you the model year. (My '81 was made in 12/80, and my '83 sometime in mid '82.)

Only the 1981 and 1982 bikes came with the bikini fairing; they dropped it for '83. If the forks are black and the front fender is "body color" not chrome, and the bike came with a bikini fairing; it's an '82.

The '81 was the only model year that had a chrome front fender and "natural" lower fork legs.

 

No way Fitzs!!! :evil: I love to see your pics! Some people are just jealous!! :wink:

 

Thanks again Zombie, so no fuel sending unit detected by the tci, no electrical start? I haven't even tried, it's been sitting for a while, figure I'll tune it up before i even bother starting it. I could be horribly wrong though ;P

 

Just so the bomb disposal guys don't start flaming this thread asking what color wire it is: Black and Green. I noticed last night that the fuel tank had a black and green wire. Coincedence?

also, I give utmost and out right access for fitz to post as many pictures as this board will allow in my thread. Suck it Flamers!

 

The TCI unit could care less if the fuel gauge sending unit is connected or not.

Unrelated. But yes, those are the wires for the fuel sending unit.

And since you ASKED, here's my "defairinged" '81:

 

That's a beauty right there! I love the caliper, did you get that from XJ4ever? Also, what's a good polish for the casings?

 

I meant rotor. Doy.

 

Nope; THAT rotor is a stock Yamaha rotor, resurfaced and drilled.

THIS rotor I got from chacal, it's an EBC full-floater:



(Both bikes have stainless steel lines with custom short uppers for the low bars.)


As for polishing the cases, there's a bit more to it than what polish you use. People have different methods they prefer; but the basics are as follows:

-strip the old clear lacquer coating off first; the best thing for this is "Aircraft" paint remover, available at most auto supply or auto paint shops. Also best done with the parts off the bike.

-then using Scotchbrite, or wet sanding, remove all of the old grey "dead" metal and begin the "smoothing out" process.

-THEN you polish. You can use a metal polish such as Solvol, SimiChrome or Mother's and do it by hand; or you can use a buffing wheel with varying grades of polishing compound and then finish off by hand (my method.)

-I use Mothers' Billet Metal Polish for the final polishing and for shine maintenance.

Do a forum search on "polishing aluminum" and read about the various methods used by others.

 

Awesome, that looks amazing. I figured the polishing of aluminum would have a couple other steps, so now it's time to do some digging of my own.

Those are beautiful bikes, well done and the black one is making me jealous of my soon to be black and yellow one.

Also, you have a grip bar, or some storage bar on the back... is that stock for another year?

 

The luggage rack is a GSM "SportRack" which was a "period" accessory from back when the bikes were current.

I got it from a guy via eBay; it didn't sell and I contacted him after the fact and we "haggled." At the time, he had a second one. But when I checked back with him a couple of months later, he'd sold it.

There was a factory optional luggage rack for the Seca 550 as well; but they're rare as hen's teeth. I've only seen pics of them on bikes, haven't seen one on eBay ever in over three years of watching.

We just had a big discussion on aluminum polishing; just do a forum search on "polishing aluminum." My white bike had "lived" outside for four years straight before I got it and all of the aluminum was NASTY grey mottled corroded. It just takes patience and time and the parts come out beautiful as a result. Clear coating afterward isn't necessary if you hit it with Mothers a couple times a season.

 

Fitz... They're just soo pretty they make everyone jealous

GreatScott ... The carbs are not as bad as they sound, as a total noob I got mine clean folowing Ricks guides.... some carb cleaner, patience and a nice afternoon... take your time, and be organized.....
A few beer also helps

 

Greatscott. Keep your eyes peeled on the Yellowhead, Monday around noon. I'm headed for the mountains on a 4,000 km trip. I have done all the maintenance on my bike so don't be afraid to come looking for help.



Kenora, ON. 2010

 

Excellent, Fitz, I'd love to put a luggage rack on, but by the looks of RangerG's decked out travel seca, I probably won't need to! I'm stoked, because in at least a year, that'll be me with luggage and heading out to BC with my buddies Triumph Bonneville T100.

I think i'm going to work on my carb cleaning today. I've got some carb cleaner, gonna do them one by one (no muffin tins and I work better with only one set of parts around )

Gas tank issues: Sandblasted it yesterday, and the bottom of the tank was full of holes. Now, we've welded most of the large holes shut, but i'm thinking that if I put bondo on the holes, then do the tank clean and seal, the bondo won't come in contact with the gas. I've got to definitely get a good tank before I'm fully road worthy, but this should be good enough to get it running this year, hopefully.

So, here's the question: Are tanks easy to come by? Are there other tanks out there that'll fit with little mods; with possibly bigger tanks?

 

Also, RangerG, I live in the downtown, and if you're blowing through Edmonton, I most likely won't be out on the yellowhead. If you want, however, come by for lunch at Cafe Select on 10018 106 st, have sandwich or bowl of Hearty Mac and Cheese, let me pour over your bike with the giddiness of a school girl.

 

The problem with using, say, a 650 Seca tank is that it's about 6" longer; and as a result not only will you need to fab a rear mount, you'd need to modify the seat. You can get an easy 150 miles or more on a tank of gas with the stock tank. (Yamaha claims it's 4.2 Gallons but I think they lied.)

Are tanks easy to come by? As easy as eBay; I believe you'll find a couple up right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/81-83-Ya ... ccessories

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1980-Yam ... ccessories

Or post in "Sell, Trade, Swap, Wanted" and see if somebody has one they'll part with.